Swindon

Swindon's population expanded between the last two censuses. At the same time there were changes in ethnicity, housing tenure and marriage.

The population passed 200,000

In the decade leading up to the most recent census, the population of Swindon increased by 16%, from just over 180,000 to 209,000.

The addition of about 29,000 people means this area's population was the fastest-growing in the South West and increased faster than the rate of growth across England (up 7.9% since the 2001 census).

In 2011, Swindon was home to, on average, 6.5 people per football pitch-sized piece of land.

Population density was higher than the average across the South West

Population density (usual residents per football pitch-sized piece of land) across the South West, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

An older Swindon

Census 2011 data also show a change in the local population's average age.

Between the last two censuses, the median age of Swindon increased by two years, from 36 to 38 years.

This suburban area had a lower average age than the South West and remained slightly younger than the average local authority area across England (39 years of age).

The fall in age was because of an increase of just under 8,100 people between the ages of 40 and 49 years, while the population between 30 and 39 years decreased by almost 80.

About 16% of people in Swindon are aged between 40 and 49 years

Percentage of usual residents in England, South West and Swindon by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

Ethnicity in Swindon

The number of people in Swindon from the White ethnic groups increased from just over 170,000 in 2001 to about 190,000 in 2011. However, as a percentage of the total population, this represented a decrease from 95% to 90%.

The percentage decreased by more than the average across the South West (from 98% to 95%), but at a faster rate than the average across England (from 91% to 85%).

The number of people in Swindon from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups increased from just over 4,600 in 2001 to about 13,000 in 2011 (from 2.6% to 6.4%). The number of residents from Mixed/multiple ethnic groups (White and Asian, White and Black African, White and Black Caribbean or Other Mixed) increased from about 2,000 to about 4,200 (from 1.1% to 2.0%).

Just under 2,900 people (0.7%) said they were from the Black, Black British, Caribbean or African ethnic groups, up from just under 1,300 in 2001 (1.4%).

There are many factors that can cause changes to the ethnic profile of an area, such as migration and varying fertility rates between ethnic groups. Changes may also be caused by differences in the way individuals choose to self-identify between censuses.

The population from the White ethnic groups in Swindon decreased by 5.4 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in England, South West and Swindon by ethnicity, March 2001 and March 2011

Rise in rate of unemployment

The percentage of Swindon residents that were unemployed increased from 2.5% to 4.2% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

In 2011, just over 6 in 10 (61%) people aged 16 to 74 said they were employed, compared with 63% in 2001. The percentage of Swindon residents that were self-employed increased from 6.2% to 7.8%.

The proportion of unemployed people increased faster here than in any other local authority district across the South West. The improvement brought health in Swindon close to the national average 4.4% in England described their health as good in 2011).

The rate of unemployment in Swindon increased by 1.8 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 in Swindon, the South West and England that said they were unemployed, March 2001 and March 2011

Changes in family structure

The percentage of households in Swindon with children remained close to 31% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

The proportion that had no children remained close to 61%, while the percentage of households in Swindon with only adult children living with their parents decreased from 8.6% to 8.5%.

The proportion of households with children increased faster here than anywhere else in the South West. As a result, this area had the region’s third highest proportion of households with children.

Gloucester had the South West's highest proportion of households with children (31%), while South Gloucestershire had the region's second highest proportion (31%).

The proportion of households with children was higher than across the South West

Percentage of households with at least one dependent child across local authority areas in the South West and the average across England, March 2011

Rise in private renting

Swindon saw the South West's third-largest rise in the proportion of privately rented homes.

In 2011, just under one in six (16%) households in Swindon rented privately, compared with 7.5% in 2001. The percentage of socially rented homes decreased from 17% to 16%.

Across the region, only Bristol (from 13% to 24%) and Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (from 13% to 22%) saw a greater increase in the proportion of privately rented homes.

During this period, Swindon went from having the 27th-highest to the 14th-highest percentage of private renting out of 309 English local authority areas.

Private renting in Swindon increased by 8.6 percentage points

Percentage of households in Swindon, the South West and England that rented privately, March 2001 and March 2011

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